Topics

11

General Mach Discussion / Is There a NC Code Default Setting?

« on: August 13, 2022, 03:21:04 PM »

Can’t say I’m an expert reading NC code but I do know the basics and able to read/change what I see is not good for my needs. I started today to do my trial run again but soon as the cnc started it stopped and looking at the code was at line N30 T1 M6. That’s a tool change and I’m sure I didn’t ask for it in the tool configuration. In addition after I deleted this line the code was asking for F30 (feed rate) but the cnc was going probably at F5. I have the correct post processor for Mach3 (MACH3B.PST)

I never asked any questions related to this subject before, just figured out what I needed but now I’m asking are any guide lines perhaps to be aware of when you configure the parameters? Perhaps a default setting?

I have done this before in few cnc’s with the same software and never had any problems but now I use a desktop PC instead of Laptop and before I was using the parallel port where now I use ESS.

Thank you

12

General Mach Discussion / Unexpected E-Stop

« on: August 11, 2022, 01:30:20 PM »

I’m making some dry runs (means the spindle is not running) to test my new cnc before an actual cut. The object is a rectangle as per attached pic. with some geometrical shapes inside and the cnc has gone already through all of them and does now the second pass and all of a sudden I get the E-Stop. Then I click on the reset and press the cycle start and she continue the cut.

It happened yesterday and today and I don’t remember yesterday but today it happened when the NC code was at the Y-Axis somewhere in the middle of the rectangle.

I don’t expect any exact answers but any ideas what may cause this E-Stop

Thanks

13

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 Tool Display Screen Circles

« on: August 10, 2022, 01:32:32 PM »

Got my first object drawn and simulated a run in my CAD program and works well. Now I got the NC code from it and ask Mach3 to open it and I see these 2 circles which are not part of my object and don’t know what they are. In the attached picture my object is at the lower left from the origin.

I remember few years back I had something similar and correct it by changing in the General Config the “IJ Mode” to absolute but this did nothing to my problem.

Any idea why these circles?

14

General Mach Discussion / Motor Tuning Setup

« on: August 03, 2022, 01:29:05 PM »

I understand when you are in the motor tuning section in Mach3 you can move each axis from within this window which is very convenient testing each axis however this doesn’t happen in my case. So I click the X axis button inside that screen and pressing my left/right keyboard keys the axis doesn’t move.

Am I missing something?

15

General Mach Discussion / NC Code vs TAP

« on: August 02, 2022, 05:55:05 PM »

To make my drawings for an object I have access to MasterCamX5 and years ago when I last use it I had to import the drawing to LazyCam and then LazyCam will convert the .NC code to .TAP file for Mach3 to do my cut. Perhaps this sound complicated but at that time was good enough for me to do what I wanted.

Now I don’t have LazyCam because I use ESS instead of the parallel post. Is there another way to convert .NC code to .TAP?

BTW, 15 years ago or so when I got into cnc and bought Mach3, LazyCam was an excellent starting tool to get me into cnc.

Nicolas

16

General Mach Discussion / Fine Tuning the Spindle

« on: July 26, 2022, 07:26:48 PM »

Have not been successful getting the right RPM from my spindle following the warp9td document “Setting up the SmoothStepper and Mach3”. Trying other docs I get the same results.

My Taig R16 headstock is driven by a Sherline 90VDC motor with KBIC VS controller which is plugged to 120VAC wall outlet. The KBIC has its own Pot and measuring the volts across P3 and P1 I get 11.5VDC. I disconnected the KB 3 wires and I tapped into the same terminals and fed the C11G BOB and now I have power on the analog side.

The spindle turns ON/OFF with Mach3 but I only get about 1800RPM (measured with my handheld tach). Playing with the Mach3 setting “Pulley Setup” I was able to get 8000RPM at one time but later I lost it and I’m back to 1800.

I understand that pulley #4 is the default but to me looks like pulley #1 is more responsive.

In the motor tuning I have set the spindle to max for Acceleration/Velocity.

Any idea how to fine tune the spindle?

17

General Mach Discussion / Limits Override Problem

« on: July 13, 2022, 04:18:12 PM »

In my new 4 axis cnc with Mach3 I’m setting my home limits. Prior to that I ticked the AutoLimitOveride in the Settings screen and my Home position facing the cnc is at the back end and to the right.

Since it’s a new machine I didn’t want to do all axis at the same time so I started with the Y&A. In the diagnostic screen I clicked Ref Y and both the Y&A started moving towards the back and when they hit the limits they stopped, I reset the E-Stop and then I was able to jog out.

Then I did the same with the X axis. When she hit the limit the axis stopped but I wasn’t able to jog out. At the same time the following lights were flashing
EjogY+  M1+Limit, M3+Limit
EjogZ+  M1 M2 M3
EjogA+ M1Home M3Home

I shutdown the cnc and manually backed out. What I did wrong?

Thanks

18

General Mach Discussion / Stepper Motors and BOB LED’s

« on: July 08, 2022, 10:08:10 PM »

I got my 4 stepper motors working properly (by joging) and the corresponding LED lights on the BOB shows they are ON (I guess) but after I start joging the motors the BOB LED’s going on/off randomly and I don’t know what that means. There is nothing on the user’s guide about the LED’s  meaning but the vendor is trying to find out. I can’t trust these motors to run a gcode until I know the meaning of these lights. In the first picture you see all the axis LED’s ON when I start the cnc but after joging any motor the second picture shows only one LED ON.

The other problem with the motors is the wiring which I have 2 sets of wiring the motors with different wiring for the Pulse +/- and Dir +/-. The BOB is the C11G REV.9

19

General Mach Discussion / Auto Tool Zero Script

« on: July 05, 2022, 02:46:14 PM »

I have been using in the past on Mach3 this scrip and it’s all I need for my needs but after it touches the touch plate it raises the tool up by 1” and then zeros the DRO. I want to raise the tool ONLY 1/2" instead of 1” but I don’t know what I have to change in the script. (I only know the .060 is the thickness of my plate). Do you know what needs to be changed on this script?

Message( "Auto Zeroing..." )
If IsSuchSignal (22) Then
code "G31 Z-3 F20"
While IsMoving()
Wend
Call SetDRO( 2, .060 )
code "G1 Z1"
End If

If there another simple script please let me know

Thanks

20

General Mach Discussion / Fine Tuning Stepper Motors

« on: July 02, 2022, 05:51:29 AM »

Got all limits/homing working and now I want to fine tune the 4 stepper motors which are all working fine but I find the jogging kind of rough.

Using the stepper calculator which I got from this forum I come up with a result of 16000 steps per inch which is a high number. If I remember correctly the number I used before was about 4000 steps per inch but I have lost the calcs.

My screws are 16mm diameter with10mm lead and single start. Motors are NEMA23, 270oz/in, 2.8A, Step angle 1.8 degrees, I use 8 microsteps and the motors are direct coupled.

What my steps per inch should be?

Thanks